This invention relates generally to toasters, and in particular, to toasters which can provide a number of pieces of warm, freshly toasted bread products at each serving.
Toasters are well known, and have been used for many years to toast bread and other products. Typically, a toaster for use in the home can make two or four slices of toast at a time. However, if there are more than two persons at the meal, or if several sandwiches with toasted bread are being prepared at once, more than four pieces of toasted bread are needed. However, current toasters cannot deliver more than two or four pieces of warm toasted bread at once. Although toasters can be made to toast six, eight, or more pieces of toast, they become too large for use in the home kitchen. Further, such toasters are relatively expensive, both in the cost to purchase the toaster and in the operation of the toaster.
Bread is porous, and thus, sliced bread (from which toast is made) has a very large surface area. Toasted bread thus cools very quickly. As toast cools, it looses much of its moisture. Inasmuch as the moisture content of a food product is important to the sense of taste, toast which has lost a significant portion of its moisture is generally less palatable. Bun warmers have been used to keep toast warm. Because bun warmers enclose toast in a cloth napkin, or the like, neither the heat nor the moisture of the toast escape very quickly, and the toast remains somewhat more palatable. However, it would be desirable to provide a toaster which will keep toasted bread warm while other pieces of bread are being toasted.
Additionally, the side walls of toasters can become hot. If, for example, plastic containers or electrical cords are in contact with the sides of some toasters during use of the toaster, the containers or cords can become damaged. It is thus also desirable to provide a toaster in which the side walls of the toaster are well insulated and thus safe to touch.